Truth
by Saturn Phoenix Frrosty
Summary: Squall and Laguna have their talk ....


Title: Truth [1/1] Author: Saturn Phoenix Frrosty Rating: G Disclaimer: FF VIII, alas, does not belong to me. Do not sue.  
  
A/N: I don't really like the title, just couldn't think of a better one. Anyone has any ideas, tell me.   
  
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Laguna was pacing the room, back and forth, back and forth. It was driving Squall crazy. Laguna had said he wanted to talk to Squall when the trouble with Ultimecia was all over. Squall had expected Laguna to say something intelligible. But all Laguna had done so far was stare at the floor, pace, and babble incoherently.   
  
It had been two days since they defeated Ultimecia.  
  
Squall sighed. He still had no idea what Laguna wanted to tell him. I always knew he was a moron, he thought.   
  
Laguna looked up then. He swallowed loudly. "Well, Squall, I sure you're wondering what I wanted to talk to you about. And I'm going to tell you. In a minute." He began pacing again.   
  
"Laguna, if you want, I can come back later when you're . . . calmer," Squall suggested, managing to keep the annoyance out of his voice. Barely.  
  
"No, Squall." If he left Laguna would never be able to work up the courage to tell him the truth again. Which he was sure would annoy Elle very much. Kiros and Ward would probably never let him forget it, either.   
  
Laguna decided to sit down before his leg cramped up so badly that he couldn't walk. He took a deep breath. "Squall ... well, um, Squall ..."   
  
Squall waited patiently for Laguna to finish.   
  
Laguna tried again. "Well, Squall, you see ... Raine was ... your mother." He stood up again and stared at the wall in sudden fascination, his hands clasped behind his back.  
  
"Oh." Squall could say he knew something about his birth mother, now, at least. He wondered why Laguna had gotten so worked up over telling him that. But then another, more horrible, thought struck him. "Oh, no."   
  
"And I am your father," Laguna finished.   
  
"No."  
  
Laguna was wringing his hands, now. "Umm ... yes?"  
  
"How is that possible?" I cannot be related to this idiot. Maybe it's some one's weird joke, he thought. He was less than pleased to have discovered this long-lost father. Any long-lost father would have been awkward at best - he was past the age where he needed a real, hands-on father - but this one was nearing the realm of horrible.  
  
Laguna blinked in surprise. He would have thought someone would have already explained things to the poor boy. "Well, Squall, when two people love each other very much, and when they're usually mar - "  
  
"Dammit, Laguna, that wasn't what I meant. You left me in an orphanage my entire life!"   
  
Selphie may have thought him noble, but all Squall saw was a flawed man.  
  
Laguna hurriedly tried to explain, but Squall glared only at him. Who did he think he was? After all these years, he was just suddenly going to reappear in Squall's life and expect him to forgive him for what he'd done? He ignored Laguna's feeble squakings, not wanting excuses, and left the room.   
  
Ellone was waiting in the hallway.   
  
"And how long have you known?"   
  
"Since you were young," she admitted. "But Squall, you shouldn't be too angry with Uncle Laguna. I'm sure he had his reasons. He didn't want to reminded of Raine. Or maybe he was just to busy with Esthar. I'm sure he meant to, he would have if he could," she added.   
  
"I'm sure. He was too busy for his own family!" Squall clenched his fists, and tried to lower his voice. "He never even looked for me!"  
  
"Squall, he's really trying now, though," she said softly.   
  
"Why wasn't he there when I was born?" he asked suddenly.   
  
"What?"   
  
"You told me Raine had a baby, and that she called for him," he jerked his head toward the room he'd exited moments before, "but he wasn't there. Why?"   
  
"I don't know the particulars, but he was in Esthar at the time."   
  
Squall snorted. "I'm sure," he said cynically.  
  
"Squall, won't you go talk to him? Please? He's been worrying himself to death lately wondering how you'd react."   
  
"No," Squall glanced at Ellone. "I won't."   
  
"Why, Squall?"   
  
"Why didn't he ever try to find me? He spent a year traveling, looking for you. And you weren't even his daughter," he said, ignoring her question.   
  
"I don't know." She touched his arm and smiled hopefully at him. "Why don't you ask him? Please, Squall."   
  
When he was younger, Squall could always tell himself his parents were dead, probably killed in the sorceress war. Otherwise someone would have come for him and Ellone. His parents would never have simply abandoned him. Raine, at least, still had that excuse.  
  
But now he knew the whole truth.  
  
"No. I'm an orphan," he said coldly. "My parents are dead." He turned and walked in the direction of the training center, ignoring the dismayed expression on Ellone's face. 


End file.
